When Jackson Met Uncle Lou
by Marymel
Summary: Jackson first meets Detective Vartann.


**Jackson is my original character, but that's all I own.**

**Dedicated to Lil Badger 101...you mentioned in "Still Burning" that Vartann is one of your favorite minor characters. He's always been one of mine as well, so I thought it would be pretty cool to write this story. It's been a while since I've elaborated on one of my stories. I mentioned in "Jackson" that Vartann met Jackson when Greg was talking to Riley after she was in custody for shooting an undercover cop. So I thought it would be cool to see Jackson and Vartann's first meeting. And...enough rambling! Hope you all enjoy. Pretty please review!**

Nick Stokes sat with Jackson Sanders at the table of the break room waiting for Jackson's father Greg to return. He wondered why Jackson's mother, Riley Adams, was back in Vegas and in custody. But Nick really wanted to know why his former colleague didn't tell his best friend that she had his son. Jackson had become so attached to Greg in the short time they'd been together. Judging by how Jackson barely cried over his mother leaving and hadn't really let Greg out of his sight, Nick knew that Greg was more than likely the only real parent Jackson had ever known.

Watching the little boy busily color, a smile came to Nick's face. He loved Greg like a brother, and could tell that the younger CSI was a great dad even after just a day of having custody. And, with most of his nieces and nephews back in Texas, Nick enjoyed having Jackson to take care of.

Jackson stopped coloring and looked at Nick. "Where my daddy?"

Nick smiled softly. "He just went to take care of some work with your Uncle Jim and Uncle D.B." He wished he knew why Riley was in custody, but not as much as he wished Jackson had been with Greg all along.

"He come back?" Jackson asked with a slight pout.

"Of course!" Nick smiled at the little red-haired boy who looked so much like his father. "He just had to take care of some grown-up stuff, but he'll be back as soon as he can."

A small smile crossed Jackson's face. He'd been raised by daycare and babysitters, and loved his mother even if she hadn't really bonded with him. And he loved his father for as long as he could remember. Even if Jackson had just met Greg two days ago, he knew that Greg was his daddy and, like his mother had told him, his daddy loved him very much.

Nick looked towards the doorway when he heard two familiar voices. He saw Greg's girlfriend, Morgan Brody, walking by and talking with their friend, Detective Lou Vartann, about a case they'd just closed.

Jackson looked to where Nick was looking. He smiled wider when he saw Morgan. The little boy jumped out of his chair and rushed to her.

Morgan smiled when she saw Jackson. "Hey!" She said as the little boy wrapped his arms around her for a big hug.

Lou smiled when he saw the red-haired boy giving Morgan a hug. "Hey, kiddo." Nick appeared, and Lou asked, "Who is this?"

Nick smiled. "This is Jackson...he's Greg's son."

Lou's eyes widened. "His son?"

"Yeah, he's his and Riley's. You remember Riley Adams?"

Lou smiled and nodded. "Yeah, I thought she left."

Morgan lifted the sweet little boy into her arms. "She came back and gave Greg custody." She smiled as Jackson kissed her cheek. "Sweetie, I want you to meet a good friend of mine and your daddy's. This is Lou."

"Hey, Jackson." Lou smiled at the shy little boy. "Wow, you look just like your daddy."

Jackson said nothing, but he smiled softly.

Morgan looked at Nick. "What's he doing here? Is everything okay?"

With a sigh, Nick began, "She's in custody." Both Morgan and Lou's eyes widened. "The custody agreement is still solid, but Brass said something about the shooting of a UC cop."

Morgan instinctively tightened her arms around Jackson. Knowing that he loved his father so much and cried so hard when she tried to leave, she couldn't imagine leaving Jackson as much as Greg said Riley had. She looked at the sweet boy. "You know what? I've gotta go see your Uncle Jim about something. Could you stay with Uncle Nick and Uncle Lou for a little bit?"

Jackson nodded. "You an' daddy come back?"

"Of course!" Morgan said with certainty. "I'll try not to be too long." She gave Jackson to Nick and kissed Jackson's cheek. "I'll be right back. I promise."

"Kay," Jackson said with a soft smile as he, Nick and Lou watched her head towards interrogation.

Lou smiled at the squirming boy in Nick's arms. "You know what?" Jackson shook his head. "You remind me of my little boy...but he's not so little anymore."

Jackson looked at Lou with curiosity. "You hab a little boy?"

"Yeah. His name's Jake, and he's a bit bigger than you. And I'll bet you like Legos."

Jackson smiled wider. "Yeah. An' I like to color too."

"Yeah," Nick said with a warm smile. "You want to show Lou what you've been working on?" Jackson nodded and Lou followed them into the break room.

Jackson happily showed him the picture he'd been coloring. "It a kitty."

"Yeah, I see that." Lou smiled at the little boy. "Do you like kitty cats?"

Jackson nodded. "Yeah, I like amials."

Both men couldn't help but smile at the innocent child. As they watched Jackson busily color, Lou leaned over and whispered to Nick, "So...she gave him to Greg?"

"Yeah," Nick said with a nod. "Greg said he'd been raised by babysitters and daycare. When I went over there yesterday, we found the custody papers in a bag she'd left for him." Nick gestured to the little boy happily unaware of why his mother was back in town. "He's barely let Greg out of his sight, and hasn't said much of anything about Riley being gone."

"Maybe he hardly knew her," Lou said, thoughtfully smiling at Jackson. "You said she'd left him with other people to care for him...maybe she just didn't care for him enough."

Nick nodded. "Maybe. But Greg's a great dad already. And we did run a DNA test...Greg is Jackson's father."

Lou sighed quietly. "Wow. That's great." He remembered working with Greg over the years and how the younger man had grown from being a novice to being a great CSI. He also remembered Riley, and how she barely let anyone get close to her.

Jackson stopped coloring and looked up at Nick. "Do you hab any chocolate milk?"

Both men laughed softly. "No," Nick said. "But as soon as your dad gets done with his work, I think he might get you some."

Jackson smiled. He'd known Nick for just a day, but absolutely loved him already.

"Hey, Jackson?" Lou asked. "Did you know you look just like your daddy?"

Jackson shrugged. "Ebrybody say dat."

"Well, you do," Nick added. "And I know your daddy loves you."

"Yeah!" Jackson said happily. "He gibs me big hugs." He held out his arms as if he were measuring something big.

"Whoa!" Lou said. "You know, I've known your daddy for quite a while. He is a very good man."

Jackson smiled, liking his Uncle Lou. "He a good daddy."

Just then, Greg and Morgan appeared in the doorway. The smiled as they saw Jackson chatting away with Lou and Nick. "Hey, Jacks," Greg whispered.

Jackson's smile grew wider. "Daddy!" Everyone smiled when Jackson rushed into Greg's arms.

"You giving your Uncle Nicky a hard time?" Greg asked. Jackson shook his head and smiled.

"As a matter of fact, he's been great," Nick said.

Lou patted Greg's shoulder. "He's great. Really."

Greg smiled. Just as they were about to leave to go home, D.B. came in.

"She's going to be transferred to Chicago to face an inquest. I gotta say, her taking off the way she did...it doesn't look good."

"But he's staying with me?" Greg asked, instinctively tightening his hold on his squirming son.

"Absolutely!" His boss assured him. "The custody agreement is solid. You have full custody, Greg. Jackson is staying with you."

Greg sighed with relief. Nick, Lou and Morgan had relieved smiles as well. "Thank you," Greg said to D.B.

"Daddy, I want down," Jackson said.

"Okay, but stay here." He set Jackson down, and the little boy happily returned to his drawing.

Greg turned to D.B. "So...now what?"

"Like I said, she's being transferred back to Chicago. They've promised to keep us posted."

Greg nodded. Noticing Vartann's confused expression, he added, "She shot and killed an undercover cop." Both men winced. Greg added, "She was at a scene next door to a suspected drug dealer the UC cop was investigating. She saw the guy, he couldn't ID himself, and took off. She shot him."

"Oh, man," Nick sighed. "Catherine had said Ray told her that Riley was trigger happy, but this..."

Lou sighed quietly, knowing how he and his own son had a good relationship after Jake had come to live with his dad when he was a teenager. "Yeah...it sucks." Patting the younger man's back, Lou added, "I'm sorry, Greg."

Greg shook his head and softly smiled. "Don't be sorry...I've got him." He nodded at the little boy coloring, happily unaware of the events that led to him coming to be with his father. Kneeling next to Jackson, Greg asked, "What are you drawing, Jacks?"

"A fish!" Jackson said proudly. He pointed to some blue he'd colored. "See, dat da water!"

"Oh, yeah! That's great, Jacks." Everyone smiled as they watched father and son together.

Jackson stopped coloring and looked up at his father. "Daddy, is mommy coming back?"

Glances were shared as Greg explained to his son that his mother was gone for good. "She did something that I know she wishes she could take back, but she can't. But she wanted to make sure you'd be okay...so she gave you to me."

"But why can't she come back?" Jackson asked.

Greg felt tears come to his eyes as he looked into his beautiful son's eyes - eyes that were the exact same shade of brown as his. Greg smiled slightly. "I know she would if she could. But she wanted to make sure that you were safe and nothing happened to you. So she left you with me. And I love you very, very much."

Jackson smiled as his father. "I love you, too, daddy!"

Everyone smiled as Greg hugged Jackson tightly. They could see that the two of them were where they belonged - together.

Lou smiled thoughtfully as he watched Greg and Jackson. He thought of his own son - they'd had ups and downs in their relationship, which was true for most anyone, but they remained close and even had a decent relationship with Jake's mother.

"I love you," Greg told Jackson. "And I am so happy you are my little boy."

Jackson's smile grew wider. "I happy you my daddy!"

Lou, Nick and D.B. happily watched as Greg and Morgan talked with Jackson. To them, they were already a loving family.

As they were leaving to go home, Nick smiled at Jackson. "I'll come by later and bring some more crayons, okay?"

"Yeah," Jackson said with a smile. "Do you hab any chocolate milk?"

"I tell you what," Lou said. "How about I bring some and keep it here so next time you come by, you can have some chocolate milk here. Will that be okay?"

"Yeah!" Jackson said. He already loved his Uncle Nick, Aunt Sara and Uncle D.B., and was beginning to like his Uncle Lou and everyone else just as much.

Everyone said goodbye and Jackson waved to Nick, Lou and D.B. as Greg carried him out.

"If I didn't know any better," Nick said, "I'd say they've been together Jackson's whole life."

Lou and D.B. smiled and nodded. They knew Jackson, Greg and Morgan were already a loving family.

At that moment, Lou's cell rang. He smiled when he saw a text from his son Jake. _Free for dinner? _Lou smiled and texted back, _sure,_ knowing that he and his son had a good relationship...and Jackson was a loving, wonderful addition to his family at the department.

**The End.**


End file.
